


The animal

by Willamina



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:47:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23233459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willamina/pseuds/Willamina
Summary: Work drabbles from a story board.Two partners failing because One is mentally unstable and has a very small grasp on reality. One is a stupid, worthless, crazed "psycho" and the other is tired of One and has of course heard it all and frankly, doesn't care. It's a set of unfortunate circumstances with responsibility and fear making up the walls of the house.Some are from the view point of the One in their house and some are from the viewpoint of the One in their home.(m/m, f/m, f/f, other.. the emotions and views can generally be universal but f/m will come up most often imo)





	The animal

**Author's Note:**

> Work drabbles from a story board.  
> Two partners failing because One is mentally unstable and has a very small grasp on reality. One is a stupid, worthless, crazed "psycho" and the other is tired of One and has of course heard it all and frankly, doesn't care. It's a set of unfortunate circumstances with responsibility and fear making up the walls of the house. 
> 
> Some are from the view point of the One in their house and some are from the viewpoint of the One in their home. 
> 
> (m/m, f/m, f/f, other.. the emotions and views can generally be universal but f/m will come up most often imo)

*Monday. Two days until home. Work. Same difference.*

Having decided to write a poem, One hides in the bathroom. Shower running. Music blaring. It's like when there was a family. The old family rule: no bothering while eating. No bothering while showering. No bothering while dying. 

One trash, one dog.

Sitting down for brush day.   
It is not the easiest thing for an animal   
Treats help the stillness feel more like a request   
Double up the cleanliness   
Brushing everything   
The white fur comes off first   
And easiest   
Things don't always come off easy   
Important non-requests don't   
It's important to not say "you"  
The words come out so easy for "you"   
I tried for a long time to not say "i"  
It came off first  
Who wants to talk about themselves all the time   
Double up the cleanliness   
Brushing off all the words   
The "you" word comes off first   
It is the hardest, but cleanliness is not a request   
It's important to not say "you"   
again, not a request   
"I" doubles up the cleanliness   
"I" is the easiest   
"I" goes away first   
Now doubled up the cleanliness, without "you"   
Animals.  
Sitting down is not the easiest thing.   
What treat will make the stillness feel more like a request

*A Saturday. Sparated by apparatus. Asleep in the dayroom *

The dream:

H: it's just me. I-.   
S: I want to tell you   
H: it's pretty useless   
S: -why.. I just-.. Yes, of course. Rules.   
H: trust I guess. I'm not sure this is.. anything.  
and neither of us should probably try  
S: I don't like begging and right now I don't think that's going to change   
H: hadn't thought about that. Can we...  
S: oh how the tables have tabled.  
H: dont make me laugh. This won't work. I dont want to try-  
S: what do you want? I want to touch your hands and feel your skin.  
H: Is that an option?  
S: no. Of course not.   
H: then... why are we standing in the dark.   
S: I'm.. cleaning. Obviously. No need to wake anyone else up.  
H: can I help?  
S: I'm almost done. It's not your mess anyway. You're on the engine.  
H: so. I came out didnt I?  
S: you're doing laundry  
H: you don't know that  
S: I can smell your soap. You're literally holding a towel. Go finish up. I'm almost done. I'm going to turn around. Forget this mess. Go to bed.   
H: I need to check. Maybe.. maybe i can help.   
[A step closer. The smell of soap mixing with diesel. Hands clenched. Breathing heavily measured. ]  
S: go to bed. While there is still time.   
H: is your radio off.   
S: hmm  
H: can I-  
S: not completely   
[A shift. The soft sound of hands on cold metal. The feel of warmth along a back. The sure grasp of hands on hips. A small hum of agreement]  
H: this. Just this.   
S: tighter.   
[The smooth movement of arms reaching above and around cable]  
S: no. This.   
[A sharp intake of breath. A pleased sigh. Resolve slipping, being replaced by a questioning grip]  
H: this is good too.  
[A quiet giggle. A soft press against cool fabric. Heat shared.]  
S: we shouldnt let it get better. It can't. We won't let it get any better.  
[A sound stuck in a throat. A relaxing of hands against hips. A low moan]  
S: the dryer beeped.

*Wednesday, midnight in the EMS room. Wrapping up.*

He stopped midstep. Taking caution not to stare directly. Maybe he thought he was being cautious. Not overtly staring. Not so obviously on the cusp of breaking through the tension between the two of them. 

In reality she wished she could tell him how very obvious he was being. He reached for his job shirt. Picking off tiny imagined lint. She wanted to speak up. To let him know that she didnt quite understand his infatuation. But that it was certainly reciprocated. She bit her lip in exasperated relief as he finally completed his step and the unspoken words hanging in the air dissapeared. 

He turned away and momentum carried him outside the EMS room. 

She could see the painting hanging in the hallway he'd stepped into as clearly as if he'd left the door open. Ater a moment her vision came into focus and she could see her reflection staring back. Red hair peaking out, matted and moist against her ballcap. Her eyes went out of focus again. 

The door behind her remained closed as she stared at its reflection on the glass door of the drink fridge. She looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with the tension in her shoulders where there should not have been any.   
The run was high energy, all delegated orders and algorithm use. Sure there was critical thinking involved but nothing that should have left her with a feeling of unease in her gut and a tightly wound core. 

She finished her report selecting "for review" as she always did on cardiac arrests. Closing the laptop she stood. She could feel the cold of the room and the coffee infused antiseptic smell seeping slowly past her job shirt, thru her Fire department issued t shirt and finally with a persistent chill, her sportsbra. She told herself it was the cold that had her body responding such as it was. Raised goosebumps all prickly and stiff under her clothing. 

She walked out of the room and down the ramp to their medic. The heat of the night a welcomed relief as her skin rapidly lost the prickly feeling and her blood rushed comfortably to her cheeks. Not even 30 seconds outside yet she could already feel sweat begin to accumulate along her brow and upper lip. Three yards later she opened up the rear of the medic, doors creaking slightly. 

She found her partner securing the lifepack to the bench, a small smile on his face. The words left her lips in the comfortable way they always did when they were on the medic together, "thanks again for cleaning up. You didn't have to. Especially after all that work you did basically running the show." She smirked slyly. He sighed, throwing his used gloves into the trash bin smile widening.   
"Meds, a new life band, new IO needle and some basic supplies when we get back okay?" She nodded in agreement, asking if anything else needed done as she tore the code summary off the lifepack and made her way out the side door and to the in charge seat. "A nap on that perfectly made cot" he said in a monotone voice. "Ginger kept me up and I got no sleep last night." She laughed and closed the medic door behind her. 

The way back home was all rough roads, construction signs and piss poor drivers on either lane. She opened up her laptop and reviewed her report one final time before faxing it to the hospital. Looking outside at the dark night interspersed with bright neon lights and speeding cars she let out a sigh. "I know quick runs don't come after midnight but you always gotta prove it huh?" he asked. She could hear the smile in his voice. She hummed in agreement and secured the laptop to the charger.   
Minutes passed in comfortable silence. 

It struck her how at ease they had become with each other in a matter of months. Relying on one another not only as partners on the engine and hoseline but as a unit on the medic. Where one process started the other paramedic completed the action. Smooth transitions, silent communication, best practice with their patient care. She was fiercely proud of how far they'd come. From the first few awkward months as paramedics in their respective home towns to having left and moved states to the midwest in search of employment. Now, as transplants to their small corner of the world they shared a sense of gratitude and enthusiasm for the job and their new home.

The drive into the night continued as they entered their district. Pulling up to the station his hand reached for the silence button on their backup alarm as hers did, missing a collision of fingers by a moment. He dropped her off and as she backed him into bay 2 as a sharp realization came to her. 2 am. 6 more hours then she'd have to wait another 6 days to see him again. She tried not to frown. 

As she plugged in the shoreline she made a mental note to go for a hike. Maybe babysit her sister Patricia's cocker spaniel for a couple of days. She needed a good hike to clear her head and the puppy would adore time outside, she was sure of it. Her thoughts were interrupted as her partner tapped at the side of the medic with a tanned fingers.  
"Am I sideways...?" He asked, eyes squinting in the dark of the bay. She shook her head both in disagreement and to clear it of its sudden melancholy."stop it, of course not." She looked at her hands, still grasping the shore line. "I'm going to start restocking. Why don't you get some shut eye." It was a question instinctively asked but she made sure her tone reflected otherwise.


End file.
